Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Oliviana Marie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Oliviana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I have been passionate about the arts and music for my entire life. My mom is a singing teacher and my dad is a pianist, so growing up I always knew I wanted to do what they do! From the minute I wake up in the morning, to the second I fall asleep at night, and sometimes even in my dreams, I am creating. I’m inventing new worlds to explore, making up melodies at the piano, choreographing show-stopping tap routines, or crafting clever lyrics in my head. I live for creating and collaborating with other imaginative individuals and feel honored to have the opportunity to explore my passions professionally.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I consider myself to be a jack of all trades. I’m a singer, dancer, actress, composer, lyricist, librettist, trumpeter, pianist, and conductor, currently studying composition at USC’s Thornton School of Music. I’m a YoungArts and Grammy Camp winner in the singer-songwriter category, a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts nominee, a Marvin Hamlisch International Music Award winner for best original R&B song (presented by Clive Davis), a two-time ambassador of Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook Academy, a graduate of the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive at Warner Bros., the winner of The Glenn Miller Big Band Scholarship competition, a Eugene O’Neill Cabaret Fellow and the winner of ASMAC’s Vocal Arranging and Big Band Arranging Scholarship Competition (the first person in ASMAC history to win in two categories in one year). I’ve written the book, music and lyrics to four award-winning musicals! My most recent musical, “CORONA’S CABARET: An Act of Destruction” won the Audience Choice Award for PLAYBILL’s Virtual Theatre Festival Live, and I’m currently turning it into a short movie musical for my senior project.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I would say that the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the wonderful community of creatives I have had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from. My parents are both musicians and even from a young age, we would create together. I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by immensely talented individuals while growing up, and they’ve definitely become some of my biggest influences. Whether it’s on the stage or behind the scenes, I love collaborating with others and expressing myself through many different artistic mediums.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I hope to explore and master all different genres of music, so that I can find my voice as a composer. I strive to achieve artistic courage in my creativity, and interpersonal skills that will allow me to face adversity with bravery, resilience, and a sense of humor. I have so much wisdom to gain from my mentors and colleagues, and want to learn not only art, but life lessons under their guidance. I hope to gain real world skills that will allow me to make a living in a field of work marked by initiative, talent, and opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maestramusic.org/profile/oliviana-marie/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviana_marie/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviana-marie/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Oliviana

Image Credits

Karl Sonnenberg
Kelsey Edwards